Why Get On Spotify Playlists

Artists often wonder how important it is to get their song(s) on Spotify playlists. We wanted to try to lay out some info as to why it is really beneficial to get your music out there on different playlists through Spotify.

The Exposure

When you put your music out on Spotify it will not automatically expand your fanbase. There is always a chance that Spotify will find “similar artists” to your music and will play your music after some of their songs but that is not always the case. Sometimes Spotifys version of a “similar artist” will not be an exact fit to your music, so you cannot always rely on getting fans from similar artists. Fans would have to know that you are on Spotify and search for your music either by your artist name or your song names.

If you are on a playlist that opens up your music to a ton of potential new fans that can listen to your music. And most of the playlists on Spotify are by genre. So that means that if a potential fan was listening to a Rap/Hip Hop playlist and your music was the same genre they would be more likely to start listening to your music from that playlist. From there if you were able to get you music on more than one playlist that would just open up your music to even more fans.

A lot of times Spotify will curate a playlist for different activities as well. So sometimes you will see a playlist that is for “Working out” and people will follow that playlist and play it when they are at the gym working out. I cannot tell you the number of times that I have looked up a good playlist for working out and then listened to it so many times that I followed each of the artists in that playlist.

The Monetary Value

As most artists know Spotify does pay the aritsts from their songs being streamed. It may not be a lot of money at first per stream. However, a lot of artists have had one of their songs make it on to a playlist and go viral after that. When something like that occurs your song can rack up a lot of streams which means more money for you the artist.

Depending on the company you used to get your music on Spotify the amount that you make can be even greater. Some companies out don’t take any of the royalties for your songs being played. They simply take a yearly amount to have your music put on streaming services through their company. This is something to look for when you are choosing your distribution company.

How To Get Your Music On a Spotify Playlist

There are a few different ways to get you songs on a Spotify playlist that we will be going over.

1. Through Spotify

The first method to get your song on a Spotify playlist is through Spotify itself. Just login to Spotify for artists on a desktop (note you cannot use this method on a mobile device). Then select Get Started next to the release you want to submit. Just make sure to fill out as much info about the song as you can, because the more info they get, the better chance that the song has!

2. Find a Playlist Online

The second method that you can use to get your song on a Spotify playlist is by submitting to a website/blog. There are a ton of websites that will take your song submissions to add them to their playlist. Here are a few of them that are totally free to submit to:

• Submithub
• Indiemono
• Soundplate
• Work Hard Playlist Hard

Just from a few simple google Searches you can find a ton more websites/blogs that are also accepting song submissions!

3. Submit To An Afton Shows Playlist

Here at Afton Shows we have a growing Spotify community of other artists that are just like you looking to get their name out there!

If you are interested in being on one of our playlists there are a few ways to get on them!

1. You can email Socialmedia@Myafton.com and we can get you more info and find out what playlist you would like to get on!
2. You can submit one of your songs for one of our Mixtapes that we release. We put out three different mixtapes a year as a booking agency: Summer, Fall and Winter. If you are interested you can submit HERE

You can also listen to some of our playlists HERE

Just remeber the more places that you can get you music out there the better! And from the above tips we hope that you start making use of the great functions that Spotify has to offer artists. Keep doing what you love and we will see you in the next blog!

Other Resources

Are Hashtags Important

How To Get More Instagram Followers

Local Shows Near You

The post The Importance of Getting On a Spotify Playlist appeared first on Afton.

This Months Review

We are very happy to bring to you our Afton artist album review of Cold Sirens by the Patrick Lew Band. We recommend this album to anyone that is looking for some great garage rock music!

Patrick Lew Band

I am Japanese and Taiwanese. Born in 1985. San Francisco native.
Musician, actor, artist and TV lover. I play hard rock in a local
garage band. My music is Patrick Lew Band/The Steel Lions/Crazy Loser in a Box and right now you are viewing my story on social-media.

Please to meet all of you!

PATRICK LEW BAND (PLB)

FORMED: 2001 in San Francisco, CA
DISBANDED: 2019

YEARS ACTIVE: 2000s, 2010s

GENRES: Hard Rock, Grunge, Brit Rock/Britpop, Pop/Rock, Punk Rock, Heavy Metal

BAND LINE-UP:
Patrick Lew (劉冠達): Guitar, Compositions, Lead Vocals
Madeline Lew (劉凛和): Representation

RELATED BANDS: TheVerse, Crazy Loser in a Box, The Steel Lions,
Pleasure Gallows, The Tortured, Lewnatic

Cold Sirens

This album starts off strong with the track “unfabulous’ which is actually quite fabulous and starts the album off with some interesting progressions. The second track dives in with some great leading Synths and is quickly followed by some groovy Guitar sounds through out the rest of the track.

The third track on the album “If You Don’t Love Me” starts of with the first vocals on the album: “I’ve got no love for you B***h” and quickly picks up the tempo of the album with some awesome Guitar riffs. The fourth track “A Fire Inside” changes the layout of the previous songs and sticks to a more vocal heavy track and it works! The 5th track on the record is a short intermission into the second half of the album and has some fun vocals on it.

The second half of the album starts off with “The Good Lady, Pt 2. Which seems to be a sequel to a song on the bands previous album titled ‘Oakland’. ‘Pain and Glory’ is the next track on the record that brings back the vocals on the album in a great way. It would also be a really fun live track to see them perform!

The 9th Track on the album ‘Sweet Emotion’ uses some great samples and starts off with an awesome vocoder effect. The track is very strong through out and ends with an epic Guitar solo. It is my personal favorite on the album as well. The closing track on the album ‘Blonde Haired Jane’ is the perfect closer to an album. It gradually picks up the tempo through out and ads some more awesome vocal affects. The album comes to an end with the final words “That’s it, yep yep.”

Thanks for sticking around for our album review of Cold Sirens. After giving this album a listen I will definitely go back through some of their other albums and give them a spin. Awesome work!

Where To Listen

Youtube

SoundCloud

CD Baby

Where To Follow

Facebook

Facebook 2

Instagram

Instagram 2

Twitter

Other Resources

Local Shows In Your City

Afton Fall Mixtape

The post Album Review: Cold Sirens appeared first on Afton.

This Months Review

We are very happy to bring to you our album review of The Difference 2 by Big Nic. This one we recommend to anyone looking for some fun new Hip Hop. This is our second review for Big Nic so I am extra excited about this one.

Big Nic

My name is Nicholas Nash and I come from Little Rock, Arkansas. The city is already rough but I come from one of the roughest parts of the city. I don’t let this bring me down though, i actually use this a hard motivation to make it out of where I came from. I’ve always been into music, remixing songs I would hear on the radio in my journal. I didn’t record my first song until the 9th grade with some friends in the library. Ever since then I’ve tried my hardest to make music that others can enjoy. I have always had to work to get mine, I didn’t have my first pair of Jordan’s until 9th grade. I bought them(as well as the rest of my clothes and shoes) by selling chips. 

The Difference 2

This album starts off with a punch with the title track ‘The difference3’. Where Big Nic shouts out with his familiar catch phrase ‘Yadigg’. The track is filled with some funny references including one about R Kelly. The second track ‘Nic Cage’ has the first feature on the album brought to you by Tremor J. The third track on the album ‘Dnob’ (which is actually on our Winter Mixtape) was added to this album as a remix instead of the original version. It has some cool new affects as well as a new feature.

The 4th track on the album ‘Nic Cannon’ is full of some great references and is carried by a catchy hook! Big nic definitely has a way with catchy hooks without over using audio effects. The 5th track is a great transition to the second half of the album that is made into an entertaining skit. Which leads us into the 6th track titled ‘Nic Nac’. It has an awesome instrumental that drives the song through out. It also bring listeners another catchy chorus on the album.

The 7th track which includes another feature ( BG Nimani ) is titled ‘Nicole’. It leads with a bit of a dream wave feeling beat and some fun vocals! The 8th track on the album has some samples from Nic Fury straight out of the MCU. The beat in this track is simple but it lets the lyrics come through in a great way for the song.

The final two tracks on the album ‘Nic Jr’ and ‘The Difference 4’ are great closers for the album. With ‘Nic Jr’ slowing things down a bit and picking things back up again to end the album with ‘The Difference 4’.

Thanks for reading the album review for Big Nics album The Difference 2. Be sure to keep an eye out for him as he continues to put out solid albums. And be sure to check out our album review for his album ’19’ HERE if you missed it.

Where To Listen

Twitter

Instagram

Apple Music

Google Play

Other Resources

Local Shows In Your City

Afton Fall Mixtape

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J.None

J.None is a singer/songwriter, producer, actor and multi-instrumentalist from Virginia beach,VA. When doing a live show he likes to use a loop station to sing A-cappella loops live and rap over them.

He started playing music in an orchestra when he was only 9 years old. Violin was his instrument of chose.

8 Questions With J.None

Who and what inspires you the most to keep going?

My mother definitely inspires me to keep going the most. Her back story is so crazy! Full of pain and suffering from the start of her life to now and she still continues to live, laugh hard and look after all 4 of her children whom she raised on her own. Seeing her get through all of that and still have love in her heart has inspired me to keep pushing for my dreams.

What things did you enjoy about playing with Afton?

I like that Afton shows are extremely chill and low-key. Intimacy is everything when it comes to shows. I want people to be able to see me up close and catch every vibe I let off from song to song. Also, ‘The Henao Center’ and ‘The Abbey’ are two of my favorite spots to perform in Orlando!

Where do you see yourself in 3 years and how can Afton help you get there?

In 3 years I see myself touring and doing my own solo shows while also coming back home periodically to help younger singer/songwriters and amateurs find their sound and hone their skills in recording, songwriting and live performance.

If you could play show with any artist or band, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

Michael (mf) Jackson!!!!! I was a dancer first when I was younger so being on stage with MJ would be CRAZYYYYYYYYY!!!!

What’s one of the craziest things that has happened since you became a musician/artist?

I got to meet J.Lo and sing to her! (lawd have mercy)

Do you have any pre-show rituals before taking the stage? What do you do after a show?

Before a show, I play an old school video games on my computer like Super Mario World and sometimes I take a shot of Whiskey. After my show, I always go out for food and drinks wit my fam and fans. That’s real love to me.

What advice would you give to a young artist just starting out?

I would tell young artists to try everything and every sound until they find a main one they want to marry. Be as creative as possible and never cut yourself off to just one thing. You never know what sound or producer or group or gig or whatever is gonna make you better and take your talent to that next level we all continually strive for EXPERIENCE!

What is one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned as an artist?

One of the biggest lessons… hmmmm…. I’d say to just truly be
myself all the time. I hear it said a lot but really NOBODY CAN BE
YOU so our most powerful weapon will always be us being who we
are 100% of the time.

Where To Find J.None

Main Website

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

Other Resources

Local Shows In Your City

MyAfton Fall Mixtape

The post MyAfton Emerging Artist: J.None appeared first on Afton.

Get to Know Emerging Coo$e

The artist Coo$e is a 20 yr old artist from Duval County, FL (Jacksonville). He is an artist because he paints pictures in his lyrics about things that he has been through, been around or saw. Most of his music reflects what is currently going on in his life.

10 Questions with Coo$e

When did you start playing music and what inspired you to give it a try?

Music for me has always been a staple in my life. I’d say I got involved in music around the age of 14. I dont limit myself to one specific genre because music to me is “spoken emotion”. My music is labeled as hiphop but I feel like real music is timeless no matter the genre, so if your music is real and has substance then im giving it an ear for sure.

Who and what inspires you the most to keep going?

My inspiration for my music comes from my losses and wins in life. Life isn’t as perfect as I would like it to be at times. I feel like the hardships and tests are what mold us as individuals. So if I let people know what Im feeling and my intentions on life @ the moment then my music will always speak for me even when im not in the room.

What things did you enjoy about playing with Afton?

Afton is a great platform to get yourself on a roll locally. Especially if you feel like you already have a solid fanbase. I respect that Afton gives non sugar coated advice to its participating artists. It gives you a sense of understanding that someone has been in your position before and you can use their knowledge to your advantage when you’re taking on challenges as an artist.

Where do you see yourself in 3 years and how can Afton help you get there?

3 years i see myself continuing to develop not only as an artist but also a business entity in the entertainment industry. Quality over Quantity is the motto for me but as an artist, I still realize that my music is an asset. So, if my product is quality and authentic, the energy and the time that I put into my craft and business will be reciprocated in a positive way.

Afton could assist me as an artist by giving local artists a chance to have a solid marketing campaign to attract more fans to the shows, there are some greta artists coming out of Duval for sure!

If you could play show with any artist or band, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

If I could play a show with any artist dead or alive it would definitely be “Nip Hussle”. I respect the man’s genius as an artist and an entrepreneur. He definitely made some cold moves on his stomping grounds in terms of his music, his blueprint is truly an avenue independent artists should take a look at. He also had a team behind him, which allowed him to move in the way that he did, especially in terms of marketing his Ideas. I also respect him as a man and the values he stood for. He a Legend forsure. #CIPNIPHUSSLE

What’s one of the craziest things that has happened since you became a musician/artist?

In my mind right now nothing crazy has really threw me off my track since I have became an artist, im sure something will pop up along the line for me though. Im just focused on the music side of things right now.

Do you have any pre-show rituals before taking the stage? What do you do after a show?

No rituals at all before I hit the stage. Im just me. My music represents me, so if you rocking with my music then you should rock with me too. After a show Id prolly cool it with my team, smoke, and relax. One play memory. We handle business and get ready for our next move. No Days Off.

What advice would you give to a young artist just starting out?

For any young artist just starting out I would say be yourself. The industry is full of flukes but if you giving your fans your authenticity from start to finish, then thats the standard they will always hold you to. As an artist it allows me to be critique my content before I let it be heard, like will my fans appreciate what Im putting out? thats the question I ask myself.

What is one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned as an artist?

Many Lessons I have learned as an artist but the biggest lesson of all I would say is having “Patience”. It’s easier said than done but patience will teach you lessons you would have missed if you were skipping the process. It’s already there it just takes action, effort, and patience.

Thank you to Coo$e for stoping by to answer some questions for us. It was awesome to learn how you create your music! Keep your eye out for some of his upcoming shows in Jacksonville!

Where to Find Coo$e

Main Website

MY WEBSITE IS UPDATED WEEKLY AND HAS ALL OF MY MUSIC CONTENT, SHOW DATES, FAN INTERACTION, AND CONTACT INFO.

Instagram

Other Resources

Afton Emerging Artist: Black Pat

MyAfton Beat Store

Local Shows In Your City

The post Afton Emerging Artist: Coo$e appeared first on Afton.

Get to Know Emerging Artist Fool in Utopia

Marc Rodriguez is a 21 year old singer that created the stage name Fool in Utopia. He is originally from Morristown, New Jersey though he currently lives in San Antonio, Texas. Marc plays tons of instruments including cello, ukulele, drums, guitar, piano, and bass. He also produced is very first album in his dorm room, which was self titled (Fool in Utopia).

10 Questions With Fool in Utopia

When did you start playing music?

“My musical journey began in fifth grade when I learned to play the cello. After becoming classically trained for a number of years, I faked my way into an alternative rock band in high school called The Frites telling the other members of the band that I knew how to play drums. We released a self-produced album a year later, however, all the members split all over Texas for college causing our combined musical journey to be limited to gigs only over winter and summer breaks. This is when I truly fell into my stride with Fool in Utopia. I began recording ukulele tracks while singing my poetry over them and through this I found a deep motivation inside me to learn how to produce music that I have worked on so far. “

Who and what inspires you the most to keep going?

“My biggest musical inspiration has always been Twenty One Pilots. I have never felt such a raw connection to music in my life and they are what inspired me to create the music that I do. “

What things did you enjoy about playing with Afton?

“With Afton, I loved the opportunity to perform at a well-known venue in my local music scene. I felt as if the opportunity pushed my music career to another level of professionalism and it was amazing being able to play for over 80+ through a full sound system on stage.”

Where do you see yourself in 3 years and how can Afton help you get there?

“In 3 years I hope to be connecting with Fools across the country with my shows becoming even more intense and inspiring. I want people to understand that I too believe that we do not always need to conform to what our society is telling us to, and I believe that it will resonate with a lot of people.”

If you could play show with any artist or band, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

“If I could play a show with any artist it would definitely be Twenty One Pilots, simply because I feel like I would feel so accomplished to be able to share that moment with a true inspiration of mine. “

What’s one of the craziest things that has happened since you became a musician/artist?

“One of the craziest things that has happened since I’ve become a musician would definitely be playing in front of a crowd of thousands with a band that had only practiced 3 times. It was a winter-based show so the Christmas songs were easy enough, however, I felt so prepared for a show like that because I’ve seen the progression of my musicianship and the musicians that I surround myself with, which makes a show like that not stressful at all.”

Do you have any pre-show rituals before taking the stage? What do you do after a show?

“I don’t have any pre-show rituals, but I do love having a sit-down with bandmates after a show to talk about what we liked about our performance and what we can do better for next time. To me, this is almost as important as practicing because it focuses our attention on the parts of our show that need it the most.”

What advice would you give to a young artist just starting out?

“The best advice I could give to a young artist would be to set goals for yourself and to practice, practice, practice. I’ve struggled a long time with being able to envision where I want to be and the only way I have even come close to that goal is through long hours of working on my abilities both in musicianship and production.”

What is one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned as an artist?

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned so far as an artist is that if I want to take my product to the level I want it to be, I need to have the determination and motivation to get it there. No one else is going to do it for me, and the only way to push myself forward is to do it myself. “

Thank you to Marc for stoping by to answer some questions and to tell us a little bit more about himself and his awesome project ‘Fool in Utopia’. Keep your eye out for some of his upcoming shows in Austin!

Where to Find Fool in Utopia

Main Website

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

YouTube

Apple Music

Google Play

Napster

Amazon Music

Other Resources

Afton Emerging Artist: S Chess

Afton Emerging Artist Black Pat

Shows In Your City

The post Afton Emerging Artist: Fool in Utopia appeared first on Afton.

Get to Know Emerging Artist Black Pat

Black Pat real name Patrick Turner is a talented artist that started music when he was only 13 years old, though he didn’t start taking it seriously until he was 16 years old. Patrick has been around music his whole life and one of his main influences and people he looked up to was his brother Phineas (a.k.a. Phine-o) who passed away back in 2014. His brother was both a Christian rapper and dancer.

8 Questions With Black Pat

What inspires you the most to keep going?

“I think just the want of really making it, first of all, just for me, like can I really prove it to myself. Then of course my family because I’ve been on this journey for awhile and I have to help them for believing in me first and my close friends also too! I really wanna help everyone that has truly help me get this far! “

What things did you enjoy about playing with Afton?

“Well I had my first headlining show with Afton and I got a green room for me and my team. But next time I need a rider. Haha, But just being able to truly make money off my shows has been amazing. A lot of promotional groups try to rip you off but not Afton. With that being said, I would like to say Thank you, and I really enjoy working with y’all so far.”

Where do you see yourself in 3 years and how can Afton help you get there?

“Well in the next 3 years i’ll be headlining tours across the country and I plan on doing that through Afton, so we need to discuss details, Ryan. Haha”

If you could play a show with any artist or band, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

“It would be J.Cole because I feel we have the same crowd in music and I know his fans would love my show.”

What’s one of the craziest things that has happened since you became a musician/artist?

“Well, I don’t want to get too crazy now. I would say this girl ran towards the stage at the end of the show, and I introduced myself, and she didn’t say anything back to me. She just screamed and rubbed on my chest and arms then ran away. “

Do you have any pre-show rituals before taking the stage? What do you do after a show?

“I like a chill atmosphere around me, just be around friends, but of course, I pray before I hit the stage! “

What is one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned as an artist?

“I would say just stay focused and be Consistent and always try new things.”

What advice would you give to a young artist just starting out?

“Read everything and listen to people when they talk and because all business is not good business so be careful.”

Thank you Black Pat for stoping by and letting us get to know you more as an artist and a person!

Be sure to keep an eye out for his upcoming shows around Dallas! His last show he had over 100 people that came out to support him and he is only getting bigger!

Black Pat is also one of the headliners for all Fall Mixtape which will be out in early October. Be sure to catch him on that when it is released. He is contributing his song “Broken”. If you want to submit a song for the mixtape click HERE

Where to Find Black Pat

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

Youtube

Spotify

ReverbNation

Other Resources

Local Shows In Your City

Afton Artist Album Review: Longanimity

The post Afton Emerging Artist: Black Pat appeared first on Afton.

Get to Know Emerging Artist S.Chess

S.Chess real name Sery Chesson is a talented artist that is from and currently resides in Washington D.C. Sery is 35 and loves to play the guitar. He started playing music when he was only 16 and was inspired to try out music while on a date in high school.

“She had this beautiful black guitar in her bedroom that caught my attention and I couldn’t help but ask her if she knew how to play. She made me see the guitar in a different way. She made me pay closer attention to the shape of it before I could hear what it sounded like. I realized how special of an instrument it was with the shape of the body of a woman that needed to be handled with care. She picked it up and showed me how to play a few chords.  I saw how the strings were like the hairs of the women from the home islands she talked about.  I realized then at that very moment that I was inspired and felt connected to her. I then started taking some guitar classes right away and I was committed to the music world forever.”

10 Questions With S.Chess

 Who and what inspires you the most to keep going?

“She inspires me the most. The adventure that started that day took me places I’ve never thought I would go in a life time. What keeps me going is the new connections I’ve made with people through my music.”

What things did you enjoy about playing with Afton?

“I enjoy having a booking rep with Afton. I give them credit for finding my music on Soundcloud and recognizing my talent. I love the way they help me promote my music as a local artist. The game plan that they lay down for me to be connected with my fans is very helpful.”

Where do you see yourself in 3 years and how can Afton help you get there?

“I see myself touring nationwide in 3 years and Afton is going to help me get there by connecting me with booking reps across the country.”

If you could play a show with any artist or band, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

“It would be Mayra Andrade because of her voice, her music and her remarkable ability to connect with people.”

For those who don’t know who that is you can find her music below

What’s one of the craziest things that has happened since you became a musician/artist?

“I toured in Europe for 2 years and opened up for celebrities right after high school.”

Do you have any pre-show rituals before taking the stage? What do you do after a show?

“I don’t have any pre-rituals before taking the stage but my mother always wants me to pray and include God in all the things that I do. I don’t plan on partying too hard after shows because I once lost my voice and couldn’t perform the next day at a different show when I was on tour in Germany.”

What is one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned as an artist?

“The biggest lesson I’ve learned as an artist was really understanding your art. The definition of music itself is something I’ve learned on a pop quiz at Duke Ellington School of Arts in my Jazz class. Every student failed that day.”

What advice would you give to a young artist just starting out?

“My advice to the young artists just starting Is don’t hesitate to do things differently than the traditional way things are at the moment. There’s always room for the new. “

Thank you S.Chess for stoping by and chatting with us! Be sure to keep an eye out for his upcoming shows in NYC and Washington D.C. The next show he has booked is September 20th at The West End in NYC

You can Pick up tickets HERE

Where to Find S.Chess

Instagram

Twitter

Facebook

Youtube

Other Resources

Afton Emerging Artist: Jay Elle

Afton Artist Album Review: Longanimity

Local Shows In Your City

The post Afton Emerging Artist: S.Chess appeared first on Afton.

Get to Know Emerging Artist Jay Elle

My name is Jay Elle and I reside in New York City. I started playing guitar when I was a teenager. I played with bands in high school and continued on from there. Initially, I was more focused on playing guitar and singing and then I spent more and more time writing songs. 

I spend as much time as possible writing songs, singing, and playing guitar. I’v always enjoyed listening to music, but more specifically I would get this spine tingling feeling when I heard certain songs. It’s a wonderful sensation. I also was energized by certain songs. I would feel this blast of energy and feel like I could do just about anything. It made me feel hopeful and positive. So, I started playing guitar and singing and writing to see if I could write songs that would have that effect on myself and other people and pass on this positive uplifting energy.

What inspires you the most to keep going?

I believe a great song can be uplifting and give you a burst of energy that will carry you through tough moments and also add to great experiences. It can give you courage and strength. I apply myself to writing songs for that purpose and pass on that kind of energy to listeners. 

What was it that got you into playing your genre? 

Guitar is my primary instrument. The songs I write usually stem from playing guitar and coming up with a few notes that I find catchy. They stick around in my head and some of them become full blown songs. The current genre classifications tend to put guitar songs into singer/songwriter, country, alternative, etc. For me there are two genres when I listen to any piece of music from classical to rap. Either I am moved by the piece and want to hear it again, or I appreciate it, but move on to the next. I cannot explain what is in a song, or piece of music, that has the effect of making me want to listen to it again. I hope to recreate that in my songs but it’s independent of genre. 

My number one drive is curiosity. So, not only am I always listening to new music but I look into how it was put together. I try to understand how the artists came up with the songs. One thing leads to another. I hear a cool vocal line or guitar part and I try to sing or play it and listen to more songs with that type of vocal or guitar arrangements. When a bass line catches my attention I dissect it and compare it to others in other songs. Sometimes it’s just a few notes. I store them in my head or record them and then eventually there is a blend of melodies and styles that sticks around somehow. Not always sure what genre they belong to at the end of the process.

If you could play show with any artist or band, living or dead, who would it be? Why?

There are so many, especially when you include those who have passed on. I would have loved to play with Derek and the Dominoes. So much to learn from that album if you like playing guitar. I would also love to play guitar for Sheryl Crow or Katy Perry. Different artists and songs. Sheryl has great guitar tracks on her songs. I am thinking that Katy might appreciate more guitars.  

What’s one of the craziest things that has happened since you became a musician/artist?

I would say the range of opportunities to work in so many different lines of business other than working as a musician. I have had so many side jobs from insurance to health care to construction to marketing, you name it. It’s fantastic in a definitely crazy kind of way.

Do you have any pre-show rituals before taking the stage? What do you do after a show?

Before a show I just warm up. It’s important to warm up the right way, especially vocally. I do some physical exercises to get rid of the extra energy as well. It can take a while to wind down from a performance. I drink a lot of water and walk around for a while.

Where do you see yourself in 3-5 Years?

I hope to have a few more great songs available to listeners. I am pretty sure I will still be writing. I don’t see that ending. My experience in the music business is that it is difficult to predict how things will go. Not just what genre is going to be popular but also how technology is going to disrupt things and create opportunities and hurdles. People will want new music and I look forward to recording new songs. The rest is out of my hands.

What advice would you give to a young artist just starting out?

I would say, get to know yourself and be yourself.  For example, if you are not detail oriented, learn to compensate for that depending on the situation. Studio recording might require you to be very precise when playing or singing with other musicians. 

There are very few things you can control as with most other businesses. So focus on what you can control. Getting really good at writing, singing, and playing instruments is all up to you. We all have strengths and weaknesses, more or less natural abilities, but studying and practicing will make a difference. It will give you more confidence certainly. How people react to your work is out of your control. You may love to play blues but might not find many opportunities to do so. So from a business standpoint blues music may not be the easiest genre to dedicate yourself to. Yet, the genre of the moment, pop, rap, etc, will be very competitive. Do what you love. 

Any Other Advice?

Stay focused, decide what you want to achieve and focus your efforts on reaching your goals. You will rarely have all the resources and time needed to do everything but you might have enough to achieve selected goals. Decide what is most important to you. Stay with it. 

My focus in on songwriting and performing the songs as best as I possibly can live and on records. I look to recreate for listeners the amazing experience you get when a song gives you energy and takes you to a great place in your mind. Gives you a rush and maybe a tingling feeling down your spine. A great beat, cool lyrics, catchy melodies. Simple but moving songs that you want to play over and over. They can make time go faster when you are on the treadmill or make it linger when you are enjoying yourself doing something you love. You might want to make people rush to the dance floor and let loose.

It’s interesting how some songs will do that when the one song before and the one after have the same beat but no one is dancing. Learn what you react to when you listen to music and decide what you want to pass on to audiences. Do the best job you can. Be yourself and you will be different. And accept that. Even if you are passionate about a certain genre, if you were to list the top ten artists you love I would bet they all sound different from one another. 

What is one of the biggest lessons you’ve learned as an artist?

Be yourself and be open to the world around you, musically and emotionally. Take things one day at a time. Focus on what you can do and get better at it. You are making music for yourself and for others. It’s a sharing experience. Open your heart.

Check Out What Jay Elle Is Doing!

I have a new EP out titled “Ease Up.” It’s getting great reviews. The first single “Ease Up (Into Love)” is getting airplay and is charting. It has reached number 16 on the Country Internet Main Chart and is moving up on the Airplay Today Triple A/Album Chart,  the Adult Contemporary Chart, and the Country Americana Chart.

Click Below to Check Jay Elles Music

Website

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Also be sure to check out some of our other Emerging artists.

Emerging Artist: Born Soul

Emerging Artist: Vudu

Local Shows

The post Afton Emerging Artist: Jay Elle appeared first on Afton.

Get to know artist JessieTheGoat:

“My real name is Joshua Neloms I go by rapper name JessieTheGoat (JTG) for short. I am 25 years old and I am from Milwaukee WI.”

Joshua had a massive draw at his March 24th show Miramar Theatre show in Milwaukee WI bringing out nearly 100 fans to his show. He is also scheduled to perform in Chicago on May 23rd at Bassline.

8 Questions with JessieTheGoat

What inspires you?

“Things that inspired me to keep going with music is the struggle I have been through in my lifetime. My family, friends, fans and my support system have been through a struggle as well.”

What do you Enjoy about playing with Afton?

“Afton has given me an opportunity to showcase my talent to my city and other cities. This is something that my city can use especially for an upcoming artist.”

Where Do you see yourself in 3 years? How can Afton help?

“In three years I will see myself on a major stage somewhere where the world can see the talent I have grown to produce with the music industry and Afton can help by offering me more shows around the United States. Not just in my home town.”

If you could play shows with any artist (living or dead) who would it be?

“My favorite artist would be lil Wayne. The man is a lyrical genius and I think I can grow from him and learn. And also J cole. I can see myself with these two artists. They are very different artists but both legends.”

What is the craziest thing that has happened to you since you became an artist?

“The craziest thing that has happened to me was going to another stars show (Miami) and having a sold out event. As well as performing and just feeling the love as an artist. Especially coming from the Midwest to the south.”

Do you have any pre show rituals?

“Before a show I like to mellow out and visualize myself on stage getting everyone involved and active. Remembering what worked and what didn’t for a previous performance. After a show it’s a party lol.”

What advice would you give to a young artist that is just starting out?

“To any young artist out there, my main advice is to keep grinding. Things get very tough. Jealousy and greed will be coming at you like a train full steam ahead. Keep your mind strong and don’t give up on what you love to do and believe in it as if you already made it. Dreams do become reality eventually.”

What is the biggest lesson that you have learned as an artist?

“My biggest lesson I have learned is to tune out the negativity as much as possible. Making sure my mentality is ready for what comes with being an upcoming artist. Be real in what I rap about. Nothin I rap about is fake or nothing I never lived.”

Follow Emerging Artist JessieTheGoat:

Instagram: @jessis.the.goat

Facebook: JessieTheGoat

Twitter: @jessiethegoatt

Snapchat: jtrey4567

SoundCloud: JessieTheGoat

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/doin-too-much/1458902219

YouTube: https://youtu.be/bXlM36paqBw

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/6ECNewiP8Ux10OlggDcLng?si=DSU8zqo3QiiaUTwEOZaZ7g

You can find JessieTheGoats music streaming on all digital platforms. From iTunes, Spotify, Tidal, YouTube, Etc

Other Resources

Afton Emerging Artist: Bourn Soul

Afton Emerging Artist: Juss Smoke

The post Afton Emerging Artist: JessieTheGoat appeared first on Afton.